Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-05-03
INSANE lLLusloNa
Illusions and IIaliucinatIons OF Meianciioilo
and Demented Persons.

Illusions and Hallucinntlona OF Melanchoilc
and Demented Persons.
Hallucinations and illusions of hear
Ing are most common among the in
sane. Voices are most commonly
heard. In the melancholic these voices
are Of reproach or menace, or voices
that command him to commit some
atrocious act. The following is a good
example of pure hallucinations OF
hearing: A Ayoung man had not spoken
word for six months, nor performed
any voluntary act One day he seized
a bottle and threw it at the head of an
attendant. After this he remained
quiet and immovable and recovered in
few months. When asked why he
had thrown the bottle he said: "Be-
cause heard n voice saying: Kill
somebody and you will be delivered
did not kill the man, therefore my lot
could not be altered, and remained
quiet and immovable Moreover, tho
same voice repeated without ceasing,
Move and you will be dead This
warning was the cause Of my immobil-
ity." as.s
Hallucinations and illusions of smell
and taste are not so common, yet they
occur, and may be Of pleasant or un-
pleasant nature, depending upon the
disposition of the person. From these
often arise the ideas of insane patients
that they are being compelled to
breathe noxious gases, as chloroform
al fIaar hut fhatr hafpfr
poisoned by articles introduced into
their food. Again, to certain of them
plain hospital fare may seem as tho
ambrosia of the gods, and plain, weak
water as sweet nectar.
With regard to feeling or cutaneous
sensibiitv hQllucinations and illusions
can not be distinguished from each
other, as it is impossible often to tell
whether there is really any abnormal
sensation or not. The various
sensations that some experience
are very disagreeable and some
what frightful, is when person
thinks thar serpents are crawling over
him, or that frogs have taken lodging
in his stomach. or that birds are in his
chest, or dog in his head. A case
NUlCu lllunAidltt Vi StN-
eral senses is the following; Aman was
returning home one moonlight night,
and was somewhat fatigued by his long
walk. All at once 1t seemed TO him as
if he saw great animal like dragon
roll out OF ditch by the roadside. He
became exceedingly afraid, and at the \
Same time felt himself painfully
grasped by the right shoulder by the
animal; nevertheless he could, as no
said. free himself by running. lmme-
diately afterward he fell into disease
Of the lungs which affected his entire
right lung and he died in a short time.
The various delusions of the insane,
whether they are in the form of hallu-
cinations or illusions, often render
them exceedingly dangerous to society. |
For instance, n man commanded by |
God to kill his family, or some neigh
oor, or some one in high Office, is about |
as dangerous factor to society rs
could be found, A man who thinks
that some one Is sticking him with
knives every night is very likely to
stick the person who he imagines is
sticking him. A man who thinks some
one is poisoning him is very liable TO
endeavor to retaliate.
1t is well-known fact that starva-
ton will induce hallucinations, and
sight is the sense that is usually |
affected, rs is shown by the following
example: A few years ago several |
lumbermen lost their way on the ice of |
Lake Ontario, and were found on
little island. from which it was difficult |
to remove them owing to the attractive
vision of splendid feast and warm |
fire which occupied the minds of these |
persons. They had almost reached the |
point of death from cold and starva-
tion,
Two teamsters were lost in the woods
in Montana. Both were saved by the |
pluck of one of them, but he expert
enced great difficulty in preventing his |
comrade from dartlng into the woods,
where he claimed stood a man with a |
basket of provisions and house with |
lights from which proceeded the noise |
of q carousal. Pittsburgh Dispatch.